Loose-leaf binder.



R. M. WATSON.

LOOSE LEAP BINDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24, 1913.

1,089,51 5. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

WITNESSES INVEHTOR HTTORH EY c 1111111111111111 05mm! 00.. WASHING nnnnn c.

RICHARD M. WATSON, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

inseam.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Brennan M. IVATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Loose-Leat Binders, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to loose-leal binders and has for its object a binder in which provision for the resiliency necessary to keep the clips opened out or closed is made in such manner that a binder casing of mini mum thickness can be used.

In the drawings :Figure 1, is a plan View of the binder. Fig. 2, is a cross section showing the clips closed. Fig. 3, is a cross section showing the clips opened. Fig. 4, in cludes a pair of detail views of the clipcarrying plate.

I employ a shell A. which is bent up at the edges to form channel bearings 1 and 2 which receive the clip carrying plates 3. These clip-carrying plates have a straight edge on one side which engages with the channel bearings l and 2. Their meeting edges are cut away to form lugs 4 which, on the two opposite clip-carrying plates, are staggered as shown in Fig. 1, so as to bring a lug midway between the two adjoining lugs 011 the opposite plate. These lugs are grooved, as shown in the left hand portion of Fig. 4 at 5. A small gage wire 6 fits into these grooves 5 and is held therein. This small gage wire has a considerable resiliency as for instance, taking the space shown in Fig. 1, between the first three lugs at the left, the wire will be bent toward the top of the sheet by the mid-most lug when the clipcarrying plates approach a common parallel plane and the wire will return to its normal condition as the plates draw away from the common plane. When the plates are in such a position, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, there is practically no stress upon the wire and hence there is a tendency to remain in this position by reason of the necessity of putting the wire under tension when an attempt is made to alter either of these positions. This wire also holds the clip- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 24. 1913.

Patented Mar. Id, 1914.

Serial No. 758,367.

carrying plates in their toggle relation. It

not necessary that any of the resiliency reside in the shell A, in fact, I prefer not to have it. I can employ a cover plate 7 and this can be made flat, if desired. This is only possible when none of the springs action resides in the shell. By the use of this wire 6 to connect the clip bearing plates, I can use a binder case of minimum thickness for there are no devices such as studs to connect the clip-carrying plates and which protrude over the top of the clip carrying plates to add to the thickness required in the case. Inasmuch as the spring action is along a plane substantially parallel with the general run of the base plate, the range 01 operation of the clip-carrying plates may be small so as to allow the use of a relatively thin case, or a normal width case may be used. and greater opening of the clips secured.

Each of the clip-carrying plates carries a clip or half ring 8 which I have shown in the drawings as rising almost perpendicularly from the clip-carrying plate. These clips 8 are arranged to it together by means of beveled end and grooved end in the fashion that it is common with clips of this character.

If the binder is of the normal thickness, the clips will open out farther because of the absence of devices that add to the thickness of the clip-bearings.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a shell, of a pair of clip-carrying plates journaled therein, clips carried thereupon, the said clip-carrying plates being provided with lugs along the adjacent edges, said lugs being arranged in staggered relation on the two plates and in the planes of the plates to which they are attached, the ends of the lugs being grooved, and a small gage wire of less thickness than. either of the plates held in the grooves of the lugs, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a shell with its sides turned up to form channel bearings and a comparatively flat cover fitting over the shell and having its side-edges turned over the outside of the channel bearings, of

a pair of clip-carrying plates, each plate being without projections beyond the planes of its faces and being of substantially uni.- form thickness at all points and journaled in the channel bearings of the shell, clips In testimony whereofl sign this specificamounted upon the clip-carrying plates, and tion in the presence of two witnesses.

a resilient member of less thickness than the plates held between the two plates at RICHARD WATSON 5 their meeting edges and put under stress /Vitnesses:

when the plates are moved toward a com- STUART C. BARNES,

mon plane, substantially as described. AGNES M. HIPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing" the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

